Monthly Archives: July 2012

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Where are you from? I am originally from Detroit Michigan, however I am a military brat so I have lived all over the United States and sometimes overseas. I think the most accomplishing moment for me was overcoming adversity while graduating with a degree in Linguistic Studies.

Denesha’s Journey into Writing

I began writing as an escape from the things that I encountered in my life at that time. I remember writing a short story in my sophomore year of college. The professor wanted us to read each other’s paper. The student that received mine took my paper to the professor because she loved it. That following class, he decided to read it out loud. I remember seeing the look on the faces of my other classmates. They were captured by the story line and very in tuned with the story itself. The professor wanted me to have the story published in a school text book. That was the first time that I felt like I had something special and that I had the potential of becoming a writer.

I was inspired by a dream and that is how my first book came about. Readers with open minds inspire me to write. The most challenging thing about being a writer is marketing and readers who focus on one specific genre.

In terms of marketing, you don’t want to burn people out with advertising but on the other hand, you need for people to see your work. It’s like the luck of the draw, because either people are going to say “This must be a good read, I need to rush out and get it.” Then you will have readers that say “I’m sick of seeing this advertisement”, as they walk right passed your advertisement. Sometimes people who only read one specific genre cannot grasp the style or language variations of other styles of writing. This type of reader may rate your story low.

I intend to make writing my career because I enjoy it and in my heart I know this is a craft that was given to me. I’m not concerned with getting fame or the money. I enjoy writing to provide a means of escape for my readers and myself. My style of writing is just indescribable and can’t be put in a box.

The Yellow Clutch Society by Denesha Sheree

Can you share a little of your current work with us? I currently have a super suspenseful Novella out called “The Yellow Clutch Society” It was crazy because this story came to me super-fast. I wanted to be able to toy with my readers mind and take their imagination to another level. In order for me to do this, I had to create a twisted-wicked and suspenseful tale that starts fast and ends fast.

How did you develop your plot and characters? I built the plot around secrets within a secret society. The character’s personalities are based on my imagination and a little bit of me and two other friends who I hold dear to heart. They love the story by the way (laughing).

Who is your favorite author and why?Stephen King is my favorite author. He is by far the King of toying with readers emotions.

Can we expect any more books from you in the future?Yes, You can expect many more Novellas from me as I plan to build a Dynasty full of Novella’s where my readers can follow an ongoing tale of wicked romance, seduction, suspense, thriller and mystery all in one little Novella.

Have you started another book yet?I am currently working on a tale of Two Novella’s “Damon’s Die-Nasty” and Mirror’s Mirror” following up with a Novella called “Ring Burial”. I will also be teaming up in 2013 with Author Stephanie Norris on a hot Novella entitled “Wife Swap”, so I am really excited about that.

Where do you see yourself in five years?I see myself making a movie series of my Novella’s.

How do you deal with bad reviews?For everyone it’s different. Of course, you get crushed after getting your first one. Then you start to realize that everyone is not going to like your work. Everyone will not be able to grasp your story line, especially if they are not interested in that genre. Some people love to be the first to smash a bad review upon an author with good reviews. You just have to keep going. In this business, you are open for all kinds of attacks. Everyone all of a sudden is an English teacher or an editor. (Laughing) You can’t allow that to discourage you from your craft. You simply can’t please everyone.

What contributes to making a writer successful?Persistence, determination, balancing your marketing techniques. But most of all being able to hear the actual tones of each character as you are writing the story.

Do you have any advice for writers?Don’t look for fame or money, just write. Try and establish some originality in your style of writing that will make you stand out from the rest.

Do you have any specific last thoughts that you want to say to your readers?I appreciate you in so many ways. I will do my best to bring you stories that will make you escape from your hard day at work or any type of harsh reality of your surroundings. I want to make you think outside the box. A writer is nothing without you!

If you could have any supernatural power, what would it be and why?I would be a Healer. My reason: Healing a person of a terminal disease, in order to give them a chance to explore their actual purpose of existing.

As a child, Kristy used to lose herself in an imaginary world by the means of a good book. Now that she’s all grown up, she gets to create her own fictional realms and make them come to life in ways that most readers might not expect.

Writing has always been a passion of hers but she never had the opportunity do so until now. After trying out numerous options, she realized that writing was what she loved the most and so she decided to give it a shot. As it turns out, her very active imagination helped her achieve her goals of creating believable plots with some ordinary, and some not so ordinary characters that move the stories along in one way or another.

As she keeps achieving her dreams of becoming a published author, she divides her time in between four children and a very understanding husband.

Kristy’s Journey into Writing

When and why did you begin writing?Writing has always been a passion of mine and I was often told by my teachers at school that I was quite good at it. My short stories were often picked to be played out in school plays or were put on the bulletin board next to the principal’s office, but it wasn’t until I went back to college that I actually began to consider the possibility of becoming an author.

How long have you been writing?The earliest memory I have of me writing was probably around age six or seven. As soon as I could write full sentences, I began to put together child fantasy stories in blank pieces of papers, which I would later staple together to pass around as books. Of course, back then the only reader I had was my younger brother.

When did you first know you could be a writer?While I was attending college. I was asked to write a short story for English Comp. as an assignment. Although I didn’t give it much thought at the time that was the little push I needed to be entirely convinced that writing was something I most definitely wanted to do.

What inspires you to write and why?Most times, it’s an idea. Although there may be a few factors in there as well, what actually inspires me are flashes of images or scenes, which I then write down. These will eventually become full chapters or even a full-length novel.

What genre are you most comfortable writing?Paranormal Romance because you get to have the most fun coming up with plots that can be purely based on how active your imagination is.

What inspired you to write your first book?A concept. I had this crazy idea one day that kept playing itself in my head so much I had to write it down. And as I actually opened up a Word Document in my laptop, I began to imagine what having an unconventional hero would be like. A few months after that my first Young Adult novel was finished.

What made you want to be a writer?To be perfectly honest, the idea of me being able to write stories my way was one incentive. However, the number one motive was to be able to accomplish a lifelong dream.

Do you intend to make writing a career?Not really. Writing for me is more of a passionate hobby but if it ended up as a career at some point then that would be okay too.

Have you developed a specific writing style?Not at all. I usually just go with the flow.

Have you ever had writer’s block?If so, what do you do about it? Oh, I’ve had those and they’re usually not much fun at all. In order to get rid of writer’s block, I stay away from the computer for a day or two and relax. Sometimes it takes a couple of hours of deep relaxation for me to get back on track.

Call of the Wolf by Kristy Centeno

When desire battles with the forbidden and passion overrules obligation, at the end of the night, which will win?

Victoria Bonvalet, a purebred werewolf, has no desire to mate to an alpha not of her choosing and after a one of a kind encounter with the mysterious blood lord Tristan Garland rattles her existence, she knows that she could never share any part of herself without love being the number one incentive.

Tristan, a vampire of over a thousand years, no longer cares much for the world or the creatures inhabiting it. But when he meets the beautiful she-wolf invading his deep woods territory, he realizes that it’s never too late to find your perfect match, even if she belongs to the opposite branch of all mythological beings. But even as they begin to explore their in-depth feelings for each other, can they find a way to be together without starting a war between two enemy species?

Can you share a little of your current work with us?Basically, it’s the tale of a young rebellious werewolf princess who falls in love with a vampire elder. Neither is willing to trust the other completely because for thousands of years one has considered the other an enemy but yet, neither can they deny the attraction they have for the other.

Can you tell us about your main character?Victoria is very strong-minded, stubborn, and determined person. When she is dead set on doing something there’s no force on earth that can stop her.

How did you develop your plot and characters?The development of the story started out as a scene—the scene where Victoria and Tristan meet for the first time—the rest pretty much fell into place after that.

Why did you choose to write this particular book? At first because it felt like the main characters had a mind of their own and they wanted their story told. But then because I fell in love with the concept of bringing two complete opposites together and letting their passion for one another grow.

What was the hardest part about writing this book?Being absolutely positive of which direction I wanted both main characters to take. Although that’s usually the easiest part of a love story, I wanted to be sure that when I wrote about the physical joining between Victoria and Tristan there would also be an emotional bond tying them together.

Can we expect any more books from you in the future?Absolutely. I have three more novels currently contracted.

Have you started another book yet?Actually, I just finished another Young Adult novel and hope to have it in the market soon.

What are your current writing projects now? Right now I’m hoping to finish book two of the Forbidden mate series. After that, I hope to finish another Paranormal Romance story, which has been stuck in my head for a while and screaming for me to let it out of the memory box.

Do you have any advice for writers?Don’t give up. No matter how hard things get don’t quit because if you don’t believe in your stories, no one else will either.

The “If” Answer by Kristy Centeno

If you could have a book signing anywhere in the world where would it be and why?I would definitely love to have a book signing in Tokyo, Japan. It’s a country I’ve been dying to visit but have been unable to and it would be great to have the opportunity to do so.

This Friday, I’ll be crossing the pond to visit Elodie Parkes on the Elodie Parkes Blog for Hot Couples in Fiction. Elodie resides in Canterbury…

This brings me to the fact that I sometimes have the attention span of cat.

Canterbury made me think of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales.

This in turn made me think of Ms. Franklin’s 10th grade English class.

Which made me think of my unsuccessful bid to Ms. Franklin to change the C she gave me on a paper in which I stated that the teller of a tale could be separated from the tale itself. In essence, a liar is capable of telling the truth and imparting wisdom. It is up to the hearer of said tale to discern this.

I wonder where Ms. Franklin is now? I would like to speak to her, woman to woman, about her honest thoughts regarding my original premise. Was she simply toting the company line (This was a Catholic high school, after all.)? Or was she imparting wisdom to a young girl who thought she knew it all?

BTW – To all my British friends, I don’t know if “crossing the pond” is used anymore. However, I love the sound of it.

And to all the yanks who decide to cross the pond with me, leave a comment on Elodie’s Blog and let me know you stopped by.

Me: Okay, what about clothes? You’re always dressed beautifully. (Today she is wearing a soft pink flutter sleeve blouse tapered at the waist that flows over a pair of white linen flared pants. I hope my kids don’t spill anything on her.)

Amber: Thank you. (She is smiling. I may have saved the interview) My clothes for work are tailored and for something like this – anywhere.

Me: Speaking of work, what do you do?

Amber: I’m the office manager for Bingham and Pratt Law Offices in Fort Worth. (She’s really smiling now!) And I also oversee a smaller satellite office in Houston. As well as an educational consultant for the Bingham Art House. I think that’s the my favorite. I love working with children. (She’s beaming!)

Me: Sounds like you’re really busy. What do you do to relax?

Amber: I enjoy playing volleyball. I’m in a league. Exercise is very important to me. My friend, Shae, and I have a movie night almost weekly. I like music and I’m getting into photography.

Me: (Obviously, she doesn’t understand my question.) What do you and Kevin like to do?

Amber: (I think she’s blushing. Actually, she should be. I’ve read the book) Um, when Kevin’s in town we’ll usually see a concert, have dinner, see a movie. Um, if we are on the ranch, we’ll ride horses. (She’s crossed her hands in her lap and trying not to smile so broadly.)

Me: (I look around excitedly.) Is Kevin here by any chance?

Amber: No. (She crosses her arms. She is blinking slowly.)

Me: (This interviewing thing is hard and I’ve noticed there are brownie crumbs on my lounge pants, but here’s my hard hitting question.) So what do you think of your stories?

Amber: (She’s blushing again!) Umm, they are very nice.

Me: (I think that is as much as she’s going to say, but I’m going to try one more.) Kevin brings home a surprise in a little black bag. Where do you get something like that?

Amber: (Arms cross. Slow blink begins. No wonder no one challenges her at work. This is intimidating!) I’m sure I don’t know.

Me: (Her arms are still crossed so I’d better wrap this up.) Amber, thanks again for stopping by and please, please tell Kevin I said ‘Hello’.

Amber: (Sigh…of exasperation? She smiles anyway.) Well thank you for having me.

Me: (She never said she would tell him!)

For more about Amber and Kevin

In The Moment has been revised and the 2nd Edition is available for free only on Smashwords with the coupon code SSWIN through the end of July.

Stephanie Nicole Norris is a new up and coming romance fiction author from Chattanooga Tennessee with a humble beginning. She was raised along with six siblings by her mother, Jessica Ward. Always being a lover of reading from early childhood, Stephanie loved to books by R.L. Stine, fantasy, and paranormal. Stephanie always had a natural talent for writing. Starting her journey in 2010 she decided to bring her stories to life. In 2011 her debut novel “Trouble In Paradise” was completed and published in early 2012. A romance drama about a 28 year old African American female trying to better herself with a internship and marrying the love of her life, but runs into road blocks and things get so out of control that there are major changes for her future. Her pages tell a story filled with deception, suspense, and a dramatic twist. Stephanie is inspired by writers like Eric Jerome Dickey, Jackie Collins, Gwynne Forster, and more. She resides in Atlanta Ga.

Stephanie’s Journey into Writing

What inspired you to write your first book?I always wanted to write. It was a no brainer because I always had these stories. It was really more about having the time to write and putting the work in that it takes to get a good book written. In 2010 I decided to make it work so I started to write Trouble In Paradise with pen and paper. I actually came up with the ending first and it was the brightest light bulb yet. LOL! And that’s what truly inspired the book.

What do you consider most challenging about writing a novel, or about writing in general?When it comes to writing it is such a retreat for me. I would say that the publishing process has to be the most challenging. The writing is the easy part but books are a business and in any business there are pros and cons.

Did writing this book teach you anything and what was it?I wrote this book purely for entertainment with the intentions of giving the reader an escape from their daily routine and everyday lives. I loved everything about writing it. When I read it, I pulled myself in and at the end of it I thought; I’d hate to be in Victoria’s shoes! Sometimes a man isn’t worth it!

Do you intend to make writing a career?Yes I do intend to make writing a full time career. God willing.

What is your greatest strength as a writer? I’m a good storyteller. Once I get the scene in my head everything comes together like a puzzle piece and it excites me. Oh, and sometimes I can be a bit of a drama queen.

Have you ever had writer’s block?If so, what do you do about it? I think every writer goes through this in their writing career. Sometimes you just draw a blank. I find the best way to get rid of it is to walk away and come back to it later.

Vengeful Intentions by Stephanie Norris

After serving eight long months in jail and becoming obsessed with the woman who put her there Danielle Shumaker is released when the evidence held against her comes up missing. With Victoria clouding her mind with thoughts of revenge Danielle is caught off guard when someone else wants to make her pay for her past transgressions.

Not needing the added drama Victoria is still torn between her feelings toward Greg and her undying love for Joshua. With new knowledge that Danielle has been released from jail; Victoria is stunned into disbelief knowing that Joshua has not been honest with her.

Things get even hotter when Joshua catches wind of Victoria’s affair and Caroline wants her husband back by any means necessary. Will this love story end in tragedy or will these couples learn to forgive and forget? Find out in part II of Trouble In Paradise.

Can you share a little of your current work with us? I’m getting ready to release Vengeful Intentions Part II of Trouble In Paradise this month. I’m shooting for July 16th but it may be later in that week.

How did you come up with the title?I come up with my titles depending on the story I’m writing. Vengeful Intentions is a sequel to my first book entitled Trouble In Paradise and it starts off eight months later. There is a lot of revenge, drama, sex and suspense.

Who are your favorite authors and why?Eric Jerome Dickey and Jackie Collins. If you don’t know why, you must to get their books!

Have you started another book yet?I have started a short story and I’ve left some doors open in Part II of Trouble In Paradise so I’ve starting writing Part III.

Where do you see yourself in five years?In five years I hope to have a successful full time writing career and I hope to be married and own my own home.

Are there any new authors that have sparked your interest and why?There are plenty of new authors but to name a few Denesha Sheree, Deidra Ds Green, and Deatri King-Bey are three of the hardest working and kind women I’ve met in the literary business.

What are some of the best tools available today for writers, especially those just starting out?I suggest they pick up Become A Successful Author by Deatri King-Bey.

Do you have any specific last thoughts that you want to say to your readers? I would like to thank my reader’s for giving a new author a chance and indulging in Trouble In Paradise and Vengeful Intentions! I really appreciate your support.

The “If” Answer by Stephanie Norris

If it’s Karaoke Night, what are you singing and are you any good? I’m probably rocking out to anything Jay Z or Lil Kim and Yes I’m good! LOL!

Now, I don’t know if this is the right way to do it or not. But I look at each work and decide where my publishing dollars will go. Will I have a piece professionally edited? Will I pay for marketing services? Will I have a cover designed?

Editing – After working with an editor for my historical romance project, I must say that this will always be at the top of my list of must-haves. It was more than just making sure that my commas weren’t spliced. It was about finding those things that draw a reader out of the story. Things I couldn’t see. (And Devin, I’m fixing those!)

Marketing – How much free marketing can you do? Lots! I’m not very good at free marketing yet, but I’m learning. Then there is paying for a marketing service, whether a banner on a website or a tweeting service. All good ways to get your name out there. And who wouldn’t like to reach more readers?

Cover Designs – I must admit that I love book covers and I am drawn to interesting visuals. One of my latest favorite covers is Let Me In by John Lindqvist which shows two kids in the snow with one set of footprints. So very cool!

My first short stories were published on Smashwords with covers I put together before I had an inkling of an idea of what I was producing. Those covers are horrible! I see them on the web and cringe! Then I chose a cover artist and loved, loved her cover for In The Moment! (Thank you, Tatiana!)

So with everything so important, where does that leave my short story budget? During the day, part of my job is looking at the ROI, the return on investment so…

For A Night At The Wesley, which I will publish on Smashwords later this week, I’m relying on a group of readers to help with the editing and…my brother for the cover art. My readers are great and I think they have done a wonderful job! Then there’s my brother. You have to know him.